Author Archives: Dandavats

Amazing ‘University Students’ Preaching in Kenya
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Hare KrishnaBy Ajamila Dasa

I was the TP in Nairobi from 1975 to 1982 and I know very well the extremely challenging situations preachers face in Kenya. After 36 years I returned to see the progress. Under my almost 7 year watch the preaching on the one side to the Indian community resulted in newly initiated Indian devotees and an increase of life members from 350 to 1,500. Substantial preaching was made with the African community too in terms of newly initiated devotees, Back to Godhead magazine in Kiswahili, regular performance of street and temple kirtans, and prasadam distribution. But all along our outreach to the students at the university campuses has met with very limited results and this of course left Srila Prabhupada’s cherished desire unfulfilled.

Request for help in Bhubaneswar
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Hare Krishna Unfortunate events led to demolishing the kutir and samadhi on Saturday July 28 2018 at ISKCON Bhubaneswar temple. ISKCON founder acharya Srila Prabhupada stayed in 1977 during his visit to his last founded ISKCON project in the bhajan kutir Srimad Gour Govinda Swami single handedly constructed for him at this ISKCON property. Srimad Gour Govinda Swami’s siddha deha (spiritual body) was placed in samadhi in February 1996.

Reading Rathayatra 28th July 2018
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Hare KrishnaParasuram das: HG Vishal Gauranga Prabhu and his wife Amala Manjari DD rallied friends and put on another wonderful Rathayatra this year. With the help of Bhakta Phil they done a serious advertising campaign, and the results are clearly visible, thousands of guests from all walks of life came to the festival. People love festivals with music, dancing and delicious food and Srila Prabhupada has introduced the perfect festival, the joyful way to get Krishna’s Mercy. They also have a serious Prasad Distribution project running in Reading, please get involved . Jai Jagannatha !!!

Eviction of the Samadhi of Gour Govinda Swami and Bhajan Kutir of Srila Prabhupada
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Hare Krishna Today, all on a sudden, they demolished the Samadhi Mandir & Bhajan Kutir of Srila Prabhupada. Even the eviction squad of BDA and BMC did not give time for sparing the Samadhi. At last, they evicted the altars. Of course, we have shifted the Sri Vigrahas of Srila Gurudev & Srila Prabhupada. The devotees are mourning for such eviction. This is for your kind information. Kindly give us courage and solace to bear the present crisis facing ISKCON Bhubaneswar.

Why follow Caturmasya?
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Hare KrishnaBy ISKCON Mayapur

In the purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 4.169, Srila Prabhupada writes that “the Caturmasya period begins in the month of Ashadha (June-July) from the day of Ekadasi called Sayana-ekadasi. The period ends in the month of Kartika (October-November) on the Ekadasi day known as Utthana-ekadasi. This four month period is known as Caturmasya.” In the Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa it is recommended that for the first month of Caturmasya, which is known as Sravana (July–August), one should give up eating any green, leafy vegetables. This includes but is not limited to all types of spinach, coriander, curry leaves, basil and other herbs. In the second month known as Bhadrapada (August –September), one should avoid eating yogurt. For the third month, Asvina (September –October), it is recommended that one should abstain from milk. In the last month, Kartika (October –November), one should not eat white lentils (masura and urad dhals).

Krishna is mine and I am His
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Hare KrishnaBy Urmila Devi Dasi

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada: If one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot have any enemies. Since his only engagement is to induce others to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or God, how can he have enemies? If one advocates the Hindu religion, the Muslim religion, the Christian religion, this religion or that religion, there will be conflicts. History shows that the followers of religious systems without a clear conception of God have fought with one another. There are many instances of this in human history, but systems of religion that do not concentrate upon service to the Supreme are temporary and cannot last for long because they are full of envy.

ISKCON Leicester’s CrowdFund campaign reached its target of £112,000
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Hare KrishnaBy Leicester City Council

A CAMPAIGN to raise money for essential repairs to a historic Leicester bank building has reached its target thanks to the city council’s crowd fund initiative. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) – which owns the grade II-listed former bank building in Granby Street – launched a bid through the CrowdFund Leicester scheme to raise part of the £500,000 needed to repair the structure. The landmark building dates back to 1874 and was designed by Joseph Goddard, the architect behind Leicester’s Clock Tower, Thomas Cook Building and many others. The former bank building has been on Historic England’s list of buildings at risk since 2010, but earlier this year the heritage watchdog warned that the building’s roof was at risk of collapse.

ISKCON Ministry of Education Conference Report (Alachua) Florida, USA
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Hare KrishnaBy Balimardana Das

The ISKCON Ministry of Education’s annual education conference was held in New Raman Reti Dhama – Alachua, Florida from June 21 through June 24, 2018. Alachua is home to two devotee run schools serving in combination 250 children from Pre-K through High School. About thirty participants attended from these schools and education programs across the USA. Many more joined on line.

Grand Jagannatha Ratha-yatra festival in Bali Indonesia
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Hare KrishnaBy Hari Narayana Das

Diversity was the mercy of the Lord. When the diversity of people brings about good performance; progress & prosperity. When our country has social harmony, stability & security. No riots, no civil wars, no burning of each other’s places, no fear because of your age, gender, dress, skin colour. Then the peace of the country can be established. This message was brought by the committee of Jagannatha Ratha Yatra Bali, July 14-15, 2018.  The diversity of the religion was presented in front of Lord Jagannatha. This is annual Ratha Yatra in Bali. This year the committees presented different things at the festival. Youth from interfaith presented their performance in front of Lord Jaganath.

A Treasure Trove of Vaishnava Literature
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Hare KrishnaBy Iskcon Mayapur

In South Kolkata, a treasure trove of Vaishnava literature can be found in ISKCON Mayapur’s Bhaktivedanta Research Centre. This library is a gem hidden in a quiet Kolkata neighborhood, in which can be found copies of almost every book written by the previous acharyas going back to Srila Rupa Gosvami, and many rare and out of print books, such as Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s compilation of commentaries on the Padma Purana and his commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita. The library also contains scans of many original, handwritten manuscripts, as well as many of the original manuscripts themselves, such as the only known copy of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura’s personal diary, dating from 1904 -1906.

ISKCON’s Padayatra Worldwide: Last Memorable Days In Karnataka, India
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Hare KrishnaBy Acarya Dasa

The padayatri near me mumbled, “He is a Muslim. Let’s leave, he will fight with us.” Then, very softly, I explained to the man the objective of our padayatra, which quieted him a little. Then I asked him, “Can we have prasad here after our team reaches?” He said, “Ok, sit under the tree; but you have to pay for water”. I agreed with this condition. After a while all the padayatris arrived on the spot where we were waiting. We parked our cart and trolleys in the shade. As we were all set to start honoring our prasadam, this man came again. I assumed that he was going to create some nuisance, but the Lord showered His causeless mercy upon him. As he took darsana of Their Lordships, his heart melted. He just kept looking at them while I was waiting for his reaction. The Lord took away the envy in his heart and filled it with love. With folded palms he came to us and requested, “Please sit inside my house while honoring your food.” Generally ladies in the Muslim community don’t come out of house but he called all of them outside for darsana, and they took photos of Their Lordships and the oxen. We offered them carnamrita, which they readily accepted, and I also explained to them the importance of honoring this carnamrita. The man took prasadam with us and also bought some of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Then, as we were about to depart, he came to me and said, “I am sorry for the offence I committed. Please forgive me. I was very rude to you. I am very fortunate that in this month of Eid (a big Muslim festival) and roza (fasting in Islam) the Lord has come to my house and His cart is standing right outside my house. I am very obliged to all of you.”

Iskcon Mayapur: Festival of the Chariots in the Land of Lord Caitanya
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Hare Krishna Iskcon Mayapur: The Ratha-yatra festival observed by Lord Caitanya is the emotional process of taking Krishna back to Vrindavana. Sramati Radharaṇi refused to go with Krishna to Dvaraka to enjoy His company in the atmosphere of royal opulence, for She wanted to enjoy His company in the original Vrindavana atmosphere. Lord Krishna, being profoundly attached to the gopis, never goes away from Vrindavana, and the gopis and other residents of Vrindavana remain fully satisfied in Krishna consciousness.